Chapter 23: Bath
Han woke to a pungent odor. Disgust curdled in his throat.
Did I shit myself?
He couldn’t believe it, yet no other explanation fit. He moved his hands, finding them coated in a sticky liquid. There was an uncomfortable feeling at his back, as though his wings were stuck to the bed.
Oddly, he didn’t remember unfurling them. He retracted his wings and sat up; his pillows tore as his horns caught them.
His vision sharpened for no clear reason; details snapped into focus, and he could zoom in just by focusing. It was a surreal sensation, as if lenses were built into his eyes.
Then he caught his reflection in the mirror. Dark scales climbed up his face, leaving only a trace of pale skin. Everything else was covered in scales; he wouldn’t even need clothes outside.
Wait, is that weird feeling around my ass... a tail?
He was covered head to toe in dark, sticky liquid. It must have come from his scales as they formed over him. He thought it through and figured he’d shed old skin and tissue, or reshaped his body to support all the scales.
Either way, he had evolved. He got out of bed and went to the mirror. He stared at himself, feeling contentment, pride, and relief. Another part of him knew he would have been born like this if someone hadn’t sealed him.
His cold eyes flickered with killing intent.
Whoever sealed me will answer for it.
The smell became too much. Han swept his arm and punched the air; a gust blew the windows open. He grabbed a towel and wiped down his face and scales.
Warmth loosened the tightness in his shoulders.
Dragonification is a huge success. I merged two dragon veins and infused them with Tenaxis Dark Mana. A stable harmony of my bloodlines. I’ll develop it on my own. Red Dragons probably don’t mention Black Dragons, but it’s worth asking them.
Han hissed, black flames tinged with blue vapor spilling from his mouth. He focused on his scales, drawing them back into his body along with his horns and wings. He looked over his shoulder at his tail; it wasn’t as thick as he’d imagined. Adult Dragons, at least Red Dragons, had much thicker tails. He was clearly in the early ranks despite the evolution.
He retracted his tail into its base.
As he left, the stench rolled into the corridor and hit his old maids. They held steady; only an eye twitch betrayed them. Even those old, experienced maids could barely stand the smell.
Han chuckled. "I evolved."
Without hesitation, the old maids bowed low. "Congratulations, Young Master Han."
"Thanks. Draw me a good bath, and tell Hanna to bring the Sun Champion to the bathroom. Hanna will join the bath as well," Han said, heading that way.
The bathing pool was already half filled; he usually woke around this time. He didn’t scold his maids; it wasn’t much of a slip as long as it didn’t happen often. They were only confused because he wanted their coworker in the bathroom, too.
Their old bones and sagging skin surely wouldn’t be of any use or charm to their Young Master.
"It might be that Young Master wants Hanna to explain the Sun Champion’s behavior and maybe strip her for him."
"It could be that."
Since the two had already lingered too long, they hurried to relay the Young Master’s commands. Shortly after, Han entered the bathroom. Like his room, it was vast and extravagant, with showers, bathtubs of various sizes, and even a swimming pool. He showered first, then dipped into the warm water. The water instantly darkened with the sticky liquid he’d exuded in his sleep. The steam washed away the stench. He pulled the plug and let the dark water drain.
Afterward, he moved to another tub and reclined. About ten minutes later, Hanna arrived with Bellatrix; both wore official robes. Han craned his neck to see; they had blindfolded Bellatrix so her scar wouldn’t be seen.
"Congratulations on your evolution, Young Master Han. May you continue to break all shackles and thrive," Hanna said, bowing.
"Thanks," he replied, then turned to the second captive. "You may speak, Bellatrix."
Bellatrix’s lips worked a few times, as if flexing unused muscles. She licked them, too.
"Evolution is a one-of-a-kind event. It comes with overwhelming emotions strong enough to rewrite even a person’s soul. Have you thought about your boundaries and how far you are willing to go to achieve your ambitions? Have you thought about the purpose of your power?" Bellatrix asked.
Hanna rolled her eyes.
Han smiled and waved a hand. "Of course I have. Let me tell you what kind of man I am."